- *MSRP:
$25.99- Our Price:
- $15.60
- Buy: at $15.60
- UPC: 733739000941
- # N0094
Product Overview & Quick Specs
Think of your digestive tract like a bustling high-speed railway that runs on a specialized grade of premium electricity. NOW L-Glutamine 1,000 mg delivers pure, double-strength crystalline fuel directly to that system. This unbonded amino acid (free-form L-Glutamine) nourishes your digestive tract lining (enterocytes) while protecting your body's active immune defenses [1, 2].
- ✓ Active Form & Potency: 1 g (1,000 mg) of pure, crystalline Free-Form L-Glutamine (C5H10N2O3) per single vegetarian capsule.
- ✓ Primary Target: Intestinal epithelial cell renewal, cellular nitrogen transport, and active white blood cell defense pathways [1, 2].
- ✓ Supply & Value: 120 full servings per bottle (a 2 to 4 month daily supply) delivering twice the potency of standard 500 mg capsules.
- ✓ Purity & Dietary Status: 100% vegetarian capsule, non-GMO, packaged in a 100% PCR recycled bottle, and free of gluten, soy, dairy, egg, fish, and nuts.
Buyer's Guide & Form Comparison
Why the Free-Form Capsule Matters
Think of bound protein in dietary food like an unbroken string of heavy pearls. Your stomach acid and digestive enzymes must spend hours cutting those links apart before absorption can occur. This formula provides unbonded amino acids (free-form L-Glutamine), which act like loose, individual beads ready for immediate use. They pass smoothly through intestinal gates without demanding complex digestion [1]. Commodity big box store brands often cut corners with low-grade amino acids prone to chemical impurities. NOW delivers laboratory-verified, pharmaceutical-grade purity with twice the strength of standard capsules to minimize pill fatigue [1, 3].
Is This Formula Right for You?
Best Choice For:
- ✓ Shoppers who want targeted intestinal barrier support in a convenient, double-strength capsule without measuring loose powders [2, 3].
- ✓ Athletes needing rapid nitrogen delivery for muscle tissue recovery during intense physical exercise regimes [1, 5].
- ✓ Individuals seeking clean daily immune system nourishment without synthetic colors, artificial binders, or common allergens [1, 4].
Consider Another Option If:
- ✗ You require heavy athletic megadoses (10 to 20 grams daily), where bulk unflavored powder is more economical.
- ✗ You have difficulty swallowing standard dietary capsules and prefer liquids.
- ✗ You have severe liver disease or bipolar disorder, which requires direct physician supervision before supplementing with glutamine.
How It Works in the Body
Think of amino acids as microscopic structural bricks. Your body can manufacture small amounts of L-Glutamine internally. However, during times of physical exertion or digestive stress, your cells burn through reserves rapidly, making it conditionally essential [1, 5].
1. Locking the Cellular Zipper of the Gut Barrier
Think of your gut wall like a protective jacket zipper. The individual links represent delicate lining cells (enterocytes). Unlike most organs that run on glucose, these intestinal cells prefer burning L-Glutamine for cellular energy [1, 2]. Providing adequate glutamine helps keep specialized protein seals (tight junctions) locked firmly shut. This structural bond prevents unwanted debris from crossing into your bloodstream while letting vital nutrients pass smoothly [2, 3].
2. Operating as a Safe Nitrogen Delivery Vehicle
Think of nitrogen like dangerous cargo on an interstate highway. Your tissues require nitrogen (N2) for muscle repair and enzyme building. However, breaking down dietary protein releases toxic ammonia (NH3) into the bloodstream. L-Glutamine acts like a heavy-duty transport truck: it safely binds free nitrogen, neutralizes it, and transfers it between muscle tissue, liver cells, and the kidneys [1, 5]. In the kidneys, it releases ammonium (NH4+) to help maintain healthy acid-base balance [1, 2].
3. Supplying Fuel to Immune First Responders
Think of white blood cells like emergency first responders arriving at a high-demand fueling station. When physical stress strikes, defensive immune cells (lymphocytes and macrophages) must multiply rapidly to preserve resilience [1, 4]. Scientific research demonstrates that active immune cells consume L-Glutamine at rates comparable to simple sugars [1, 4]. Supplying supplemental glutamine ensures your defensive cells maintain the cellular energy needed for steady daily performance [1, 4].
Daily Timing, Synergy & Realistic Timelines
Best Time to Take
Take 1 capsule 1 to 3 times daily, preferably on an empty stomach or between meals with 8 ounces of water (H2O) or fruit juice. Specialized doorway channels (amino acid transport systems) in the gut wall absorb free amino acids [1]. If taken with whole proteins like meat or dairy, competing amino acids crowd those doorways. Taking your capsule between meals ensures smooth, rapid cellular uptake [1].
Daily Schedule & Dosing Strategy
Distribute your intake across the day to maintain balanced cellular levels:
- ✓ Morning Fasted Dose: Take 1 capsule first thing upon waking to fuel resting intestinal cells after sleep [2].
- ✓ Post-Workout Window: Take 1 capsule 30 minutes after exercise to replenish nitrogen stores burned during training [1, 5].
- ✓ Evening Bedtime Support: Take 1 capsule 30 minutes before sleep to support natural nighttime tissue maintenance [1, 4].
Smart Pairings & Spacing Rules
- ✓ Complementary Nutrients: Pairs exceptionally well with daily probiotics (which reinforce microbial balance) and Zinc Carnosine for comprehensive digestive wall integrity.
- ✗ Liquid Temperature Warning: Never swallow capsules with scalding coffee or boiling hot tea. Intense heat weakens delicate amino acid chemical structures. Always use cool or room-temperature liquids.
What to Expect Over Time
Days 1–7: Initial cellular uptake occurs across the gastrointestinal tract. Intestinal cells utilize the free amino acid directly, promoting digestive ease and soothing feelings of stomach irritation [2].
Weeks 3–4: Consistent daily nourishment helps reinforce intestinal tight junctions, sustaining gut barrier integrity and promoting regular immune defense responsiveness [1, 3].
Months 2–3+: Cumulative nitrogen support promotes muscular retention, healthy tissue maintenance, and steady systemic vitality [1, 5].
Physical Feel, Sensory Traits & Clean Ingredients
Pill Format & Ease of Use
NOW encapsulates this double-strength formula in clear vegetarian capsules (standard Size "00", measuring roughly 23 mm in length). The smooth plant cellulose shell glides easily down the throat with water, avoiding the chalky taste of large compressed tablets. If you prefer drinking your supplements, you can easily pull the two capsule halves apart and stir the pure white powder into cool water, juice, or a smoothie.
Natural Aroma, Taste & Color
The encapsulated powder is completely odorless and flavorless when swallowed whole. If opened, pure L-Glutamine features a clean, neutral, and faintly sweet taste that dissolves completely without lingering bitterness. Natural color variations from bright white to off-white may occur naturally between manufacturing lots.
Other Ingredients Explained
Every non-active ingredient in this clean formula serves an essential functional purpose:
- ✓ Hypromellose (cellulose capsule): A 100% vegetarian shell derived from softwood plant fiber. It contains zero animal gelatin and dissolves quickly in gastric fluid.
- ✓ Stearic Acid (vegetable source): A natural plant-derived fatty acid used as a clean manufacturing lubricant to ensure precise capsule filling without chemical synthetics.
- ✓ Silicon Dioxide: A natural food-grade mineral compound that absorbs ambient moisture and prevents fine amino acid crystals from clumping during encapsulation.
Proper Storage
Free-form amino acids are naturally hygroscopic (moisture-attracting). Store your bottle in a cool, dry, dark pantry or cupboard after opening. Keep the cap tightly closed, and avoid storage in humid environments like bathrooms or near kitchen stoves. The bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin to support eco-friendly sustainability.
Manufacturer Quality & Lab Testing Standards
Never gamble your health on cheap big box store brands. Many generic discount supplements sold at mass retailers are made by contract packagers that skip vital safety testing. Independent audits frequently discover that discount amino acids carry heavy metals, unlisted fillers, or fake nitrogen spikes. NOW Foods protects your family by maintaining private in-house testing protocols that exceed industry benchmarks:
- ✓ ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Accredited Laboratories: NOW conducts over 19,000 analytical tests every month in their world-class facilities to verify raw material authenticity and finished product safety.
- ✓ ICP-MS Heavy Metal Testing (Parts-Per-Billion Precision): Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, every incoming lot is screened for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury to beat USP and California Proposition 65 limits.
- ✓ HPLC Molecular Potency Verification: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography verifies that each capsule delivers 100% true L-enantiomer free-form glutamine with zero synthetic adulteration.
- ✓ Microbiological Pathogen Bio-Screening: Production batches undergo rigorous microbial plating to confirm the complete absence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus.
- ✓ Audited cGMP Manufacturing: Facilities are independently audited and certified by UL Solutions and maintain an "A-rated" cGMP registration through the Natural Products Association (NPA).
Complete Supplement Facts Panel
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Veg Capsule
Servings Per Container: 120
| Description | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| L-Glutamine (Free-Form) | 1 g (1,000 mg) | ** |
** Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: Hypromellose (cellulose capsule), Stearic Acid (vegetable source) and Silicon Dioxide.
Allergen Notice: Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
Caution: For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
This double strength product has twice the L-Glutamine (1,000 mg per capsule) as in our regular strength product (500 mg per capsule).
Natural color variation may occur in this product. Store in a cool, dry, dark place after opening. This bottle is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin. Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.